At Stake - April 2016

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) held its monthly meeting on Thursday, April 21 in Chicago. Below is a summary of both the Riverboat and Video Gaming Meetings.

Riverboat Meeting

The Chairman's opening remarks included a thank you to staff members for their continuing hard work during the budget impasse. As a result of the budget issues, the Chairman stated that the June meeting would be held in Chicago to limit staff travel expenses during this time. Additionally, the Chairman acknowledged that the Riverboat Self-Exclusion Program has raised almost $2 million in charitable donations since its inception. He stated that although there is currently no comparable program in VGTs, the Board expects to implement one in the future that, at a minimum, will focus on training and education.

The Administrator, during his opening comments, took time to thank Member Robinson, Casino Gaming Association, Casino General Managers and staff for their availability and cooperation during the MBE/WBE studies being conducted. He also made mention of the Chicago Minority Job Fair that was being held at Navy Pier on April 21 and encouraged Casino representatives to attend. The Administrator also stated that the July monthly meetings have been changed to Tuesday, July 19 for the closed session and Wednesday, July 20 for the open session.

The Board approved Patrick Delhougne, as a Key Person and Board of Directors for Midwest Gaming and Entertainment, LLC- CVG-Chicago Gaming, LLC.

As for occupational licenses, the Board approved the Level 1 Occupational License of Donald J. Snyder, Table Games Manager for Rock Island Boatworks d/b/a Jumers Casino and Hotel. Additional approvals included 82 Level 2 occupational licenses and 198 Level 3 occupational licenses. The Board denied three occupational licenses and revoked four occupational licenses: three for alleged theft and one revoked for allegedly failing to update criminal history.

There were also two requests for hearings that were discussed. The staff recommended granting Robert Mulvey a request for hearing and the Chairman stated that he personally believed that Mr. Mulvey had paid his debt to society and served his time. The motion, however, was ultimately denied by a 4-1 vote. Secondly, Michelle Milhouse was denied her request for a hearing.

Video Gaming Meeting

The Administrator reported that there are 5,376 locations that are operational with a total of 22,915 VGTs. The Administrator also extended his gratitude...